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DVD Review: SG.U – Stargate Universe 1.0

I want to open this up with the disclosure that I am not a fan of the Stargate franchise. I’m not saying I don’t like, I’m saying I don’t know it or watch it. I saw the original movie and really enjoyed it. I’ve seen a few episodes of the two show, Stargate and Stargate Atlantis and it didn’t really move me one way or the other. Another Sci Fi show to watch to kill time in a pleasant enough way.

Ol’ Jeremy asked if I was interested in this and the name Robert Carlyle got my attention. I’ll watch anything he does, and so far I’ve enjoyed all his work.

So, quick Stargate rundown. Mankind discover gateways to other worlds put here by a group they call the Ancients. Being mankind we start to explore going to other worlds. Now you know all you need to to watch this.

A group called Icarus is on a planet with a very powerful gate. To access an as yet unreachable destination they need help cracking a code. They recruit a genius who lives with Mom and plays video games all day. They crack the code just as the location of the group is under attack. Most people shoot to a ship and back to earth, however a smaller group of civilians and military go through the gateway and land a ship called the Destiny. New mission, find a way home.

They can communicate with Earth through tech originating with the Ancients that lets them swap bodies, however they are mostly on their own. They need to find food and water and keep the ship running.

Carlyle plays a scientist(Dr, Nicholas Rush) who is obsessed with the ship and really cares about nothing else. Elli Wallace is the young genius who is just fascinated by it all, but also the most interesting as he is not influenced by either faction wanting to control the tech. Everett Yong is in charge, but it’s shaky at best. Minng Na plays a human resources person who is representing an oversight group with their own agendas. other layers include various military and civilan folks who work together to try and get home. Lou Diamond Phillips is a Colnol Telford who was supposed to be in charge of a team ready for this mission instead of the rag tag team actually on the ship. He adds a wonderful dynamic to the cast. Even Richard Dean Anderson from the original series has a role here and it really ties it together nicely.

I love the cast with one exception. Ming Na is a crappy actress. I couldn’t stand her on ER and I don’t like her here. She over does movements and facial expressions and always looks pissed off. All the other people on the show seem natural in their roles, she seems to over think it and it feels false. I hope they kill her off in a nasty fashion. They even added a lesbian element to her character which really does nothing other than try to be hip. Kill her off.

Other than that one character I love this show. It has elements of various other sci fi things I’ve seen and enjoyed but it is also very character driven and well plotted. Whether you are a fan of Stargate or not I think this is a shoe worth checking out. Season 1.0 was a lot of fun and the DVD set was over faster than I would have liked. I’ll be watching all the rest as soon as they come out.

So end result: I love everything about the show except for one actress. I recommend this.Buy Stargate SG-U: 1.0Season 1.5 comes back on the air April 2nd.

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1 Comment

Mar08

Linlithgow

We love this show, and never really watched much of the previous SG incarnations (a few episodes from the original series and the movie). As you say, Carlyle is fabulous, and we see the only weak point as Ming-Na as well. It's really a shame that the only sci-fi series on right now, and an intelligent and complex one at that – is now canceled. A shame.